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West Nashville, much like the rest of the city, is growing rapidly. With more and more giant apartment complexes going up on Charlotte Avenue, many of us have anxiety about
the congestion this growth brings. Increased density has already affected our daily lives, and, inevitably, it is going to
get worse before it gets better. But Nashvillians have been
promised a solutionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a mass transit system with a $6 billion
price tag that will likely include light rail down Charlotte Avenue. While light rail is promising and, to many, long overdue,
the investment and construction era is expected to span the
next 20 years, which may mean 20 additional years of enduring increasingly burdensome commutes and traffic congestion. How can we ensure light rail will come and that will
we survive until it does? Preparation.

6

372WN.com | Februaryâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;March 2017

What is in store for West Nashville?
The Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee (MTA) spent more
than a year studying the transit needs and
demands of the region and engaging the public to gather information on the values and
interests of the community. MTA concluded
its work by issuing its nMotion Transit Plan
Recommendations, a 33-page report outlining what should be done to improve our
infrastructure. In its report, MTA calls for
improved technology (apps that simplify
obtaining information on routes, departure times and fare payment); increased
frequency and service times on existing
routes; greater connectivity; better stations
and vehicles; expanded service areas in the
region; and most importantly, high-capacity
and rapid-transit services, including existing
BRT express buses, bus-on-shoulder commuting, regional rapid buses, commuter rail
and light rail.
MTA recommended West Nashville receive
three key transportation upgrades:
• An arterial BRT on West End, which may
include curbside bus lanes. (BRT, or bus
rapid transit, is an express bus service
that runs more frequently than other
routes and eliminates lower-density stops
in an effort to shorten commutes).
• Bus-on-shoulder services along I-40 West
to Bellevue and Dickson. (Bus-on-shoulder would allow buses to escape congestion by passing slow-moving or stopped
traffic on the shoulder at a reasonably
safe speed).
• Light rail transit on Charlotte Avenue (an
electric rail service with one- to three-car
trains that receive traffic signal priority
and operate at higher speeds than a bus,
with fewer stations in the densest areas).
MTA was clear that the larger commitments, like light rail, would be slow-moving
and implemented over the next 25 years.
The next 15 years are expected to bring
confirmed design and only the initial construction of planned light-rail projects,

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

7

coupled with some incremental
improvements like an app with
real-time tracking of buses, simpler
payment methods and extended
operating hours.

So what about the
short term?
If it will take us 15 years to see
initial construction and more than
20 years until our transit lines operate, what can West Nashvillians do
in the meantime? There is plenty to
do now:
Commit to ridership. Using our
existing public transportation isn’t
exactly easy. You’ve got to do a
lot more planning—identifying the
route you will take and the time you
need to be at the stop or make a
connection, having cash or a transit
pass and planning appropriate attire
for waiting at the bus stop. You also
have to do some waiting—for the
bus, for a transfer, sitting through
stops and waiting in traffic. You’re
responsible for getting yourself to
the stop and on to your final destination, which might involve a very
long walk or riding a bike, which
isn’t ideal for many commuters who
would have to change clothes or
those who haul a laptop to and from
work. But we should suffer these
inconveniences whenever possi-

8

372WN.com | February–March 2017

ble. We have got to get behind the
transit system, and the first step is
to use it. Continued commitment to
ridership, even if more inconvenient
than driving your personal vehicle, poises a community for better
services. When ridership is strong,
more coverage becomes viable—increased frequency and additional
routes will manifest.
Last year, The Nations Neighborhood Association sponsored a
ridership campaign to prove the
viability of commuting in and about
Nashville without a car. “We Don’t
Car” was a weeklong effort by more
than 25 Nations residents who took
a pledge not to use their cars for an
entire week. Surveys of the participants before and after the week
indicated some surprising responses: most Nations residents found
that existing bus services were
not as bad as expected, and that
MTA’s poor reputation is, in many
respects, unwarranted. So if you
haven’t been on the bus in a while,
try it out. Take the 50 Bus (the BRT
express bus that travels straight
down Charlotte Pike to downtown)
instead of an Uber or Lyft the next
time you are heading downtown
for an event. Note: the 50 is a good
bus for newbies; it comes reliably
every 15 minutes, and the route is a
straight shot down Charlotte. Get on

the bus and be a transit leader and
ambassador. Even if the experience
is miserable, you’ll walk away
more entitled to articulate specific
grievances and be a champion
for improvement.
Accept growth. Although the
giant apartment buildings that are
popping up on every corner on
Charlotte give us anxiety, they are
going to help improve the transit
options in West Nashville. Land use
and development are just as important to building a well-functioning
transit system as the actual buses
and light-rail cars. Density delivers
the critical mass necessary to make
a neighborhood transit-ready: it
means that services will be useful to
a greater number of people, generating a greater return on investment (including both economic
and non-economic returns). With a
growing number of people living in
West Nashville, we gain the ability
to sustain additional routes, serve
additional populations and develop
economically. Constructing dense
residential developments along
Charlotte is the most efficient development pattern for creating transit
infrastructure and makes us a priority for new services like light rail.
Embrace multi-modal development. If we want to be the first in
line for coveted light rail services,
we must make it easy and safe to
get to and from transit stops. Light
rail routes, by necessity, must be
centrally located, creating the firstand last-mile connectivity problem.
Right now, our neighborhoods need
to be building multi-modal infrastructure that creates safe biking
and walking options for commuters.
Infrastructure that serves pedestrians and bikers (including crosswalks, pedways, bike lanes, bike
racks and bike valets) primes our
neighborhood for transit access.
MTA wants to ensure that its first
rail route is a success and is more
likely to start in an area where firstmile and last-mile connectivity is

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certain funding referenda or to approve new taxing powers or funding
mechanisms. Understanding the
pros and cons of proposed financing
options is a responsibility that falls
on all Middle Tennessee voters and
must be taken seriously.
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established. The more preparation
we do now to connect to existing
services, the easier it will be to succeed once new routes and light-rail
services are in place. We can all start
using our bicycles more and identify
areas for improvement, while burning a few calories and easing congestion and parking burdens.
Vote responsibly. It is vital to
ensure we have the most effective
advocates in power at the neighborhood, city, county, state and federal
levels. Metro Council representatives are instrumental in marshalling
assets for their respective districts
and have the power to impact roadway development within their districts, including the creation of bike
lanes, crosswalks and sidewalks.
Our elected officials at the state and
federal levels must be responsible
stewards of our funds and fight for
additional resources for our transit

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Jamie Brown is an alumna of Vanderbilt

University Law School and an attorney in
Nashville. She purchased a home in The Nations in 2013 and is a former board member
of The Nations Neighborhood Association.
She serves on the Nashville Area Chamber
of Commerce’s Moving Forward Revenue
Committee, which seeks to identify sources
of funding for the future transit system.

system. All of our elected officials
must make policy decisions that
prioritize transit infrastructure.
And aside from electing responsible
governors, Middle Tennesseans
will likely be called upon to vote on

615-383-1444

Got a news tip or
story idea for 372WN?
Email us at
372WestNashville@gmail.com

In early spring of 2016, District 20 Council Member
Mary Carolyn Roberts embarked on a mission to beautify the oil tanks
at the end of 51st Avenue North in The Nations.

N

avigating regulations around ownership and conwill become one of Nashville’s first complete streets,
trol of the tanks, Roberts aimed for a project that
will be filled with sidewalks, squares, parkways
would recruit artists to use the massive tanks as
and boulevards.
their canvases. Her momentum could have ended
Getting There
with the promise to move forward with the art
Why 51st? “It’s inexpensive. It’s cheap for businessthat she secured from several tank owners, but Robes, and there’s a lot of space there,” Roberts said.
erts is far too passionate and determined for that.
When The Stone Fox opened to great success in
“Well, you know, one thing goes well, and then you
2012, “people started seeing the area differently,” she
get a bit greedy,” she said. So she went to the mayor
added. Over the next three years, more businesses
with her “hat in hand,” and she asked for more. Her
have opened their doors—Tinwings, specializing in
vision would have a far greater impact on this unsushealthy, homemade food to go, or Spell’s dancewear,
pecting street and burgeoning community than she
which relocated after spending decades in Green
first anticipated.
Hills. As the area grew and more businesses moved
On May 24, 2016, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry
in, a few remaining issues needed to be addressed
signed Executive Order No. 31, the Complete and
before paving could begin.
Green Streets Policy. This legislation, though unrelated
entirely to what Roberts had
planned for 51st Avenue’s beautification, opened the door for a
more robust project. According
to the mayor, the policy “will not
only enhance community livability for citizens ages eight to 80”
but will also “seek to reduce the
impact of street infrastructure
on our rivers and streams.”
In addition to enhancing infrastructure, local ecosystems and
business, the complete street
policy mantra is “vision zero,”
as in envisioning zero traffic
fatalities or serious injuries -- a
FIGURE 1. Option 3: On-Street Parking on One Side and Two-Way Cycle Track on the
Other Side (used with permission from Metro Public Works)
lofty goal. Also notable is the
reduction in bicycle/car and
bicycle/pedestrian collisions
There was with one big problem in particular: the
that would be achieved by the dual-directional bike
40 acres of water that had been dumping onto 51st evpaths that would be implemented in both phases of
ery time it rained. Once the amount was confirmed,
the proposed project.
stormwater drainage solutions became a priority for
The vision began with street art and expanded and
the project planning committee and local residents.
morphed into a full paradigm shift, “changing from
st
A mutual goal to prevent flooding, create a viable
the inside out,” Roberts explained. Now, 51 Avemulti-modal transportation corridor, and to improve
nue is positioned to become West Nashville’s “third
the green efforts and sustainability of the roadway has
place,” known in the urban design world as a place
led representatives from Metro Public Works and local
claimed by the community (with “first” and “second”
urban engineers to assemble and plan a game-changplaces traditionally being home and work, respectiveing street design, spearheaded and guided by Roberts
ly). Roberts’ vision for the 51st Avenue project, which

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

11

and executed with the support of
Barry. This portion of the work began in late 2016 and finished in time
to begin the additional enhancements in Spring 2017.
As of this writing, those enhancements will include the amenities
found in “Option 3,” the concept of
the project chosen by Metro to fundraise and implement. In this design,
51st Avenue maintains the existing
curb-to-curb width of the street, and
so during this first phase, there will
not be any change to the existing
sidewalk behind the curb. This also
means that during this phase, existing parking lots and streetscapes
will remain untouched.
Option 3 consists of the following:
•
•
•
•

a two-way cycle track on one
side of the street
two single through lanes of
traffic
on-street parking on one side of
the street
a turning lane in the center

Though Roberts laments the lack
of dual-sided street parking, one of
her original targets, she acknowledges that compromises were
necessary to begin the project with
the funding currently available. Barring any complications, this phase
should be completed in late 2017.

Option 4: Still viable?
Last summer, a community meeting was held to discuss the future
of 51st Avenue. Representatives
from Metro Water and the mayor’s
office presented the issues with the
current state and the concepts of a
future state.
Attendees overwhelmingly voted
in favor of Option 4, a significantly
more involved design that would
require a bigger budget and much
more time to achieve; however, the
end result would yield larger six-foot
sidewalks; separate, dedicated bike
lanes isolated from street; larger
traffic lanes; parking on both sides
of the street; and a much more significant amount of trees and plants
along the roadway, including rain
gardens and permeable concrete to
assist with water runoff.
Jason Radinger, Metro Public
Works Bike/Ped Coordinator, suggests that West Nashvillians look to
Deaderick Street, near Legislative
Plaza, to see what a complete “Complete Street” looks like. Deaderick
Street’s design and implementation
closely mirror the Option 4 concept
presented by the planning team and
Roberts. It boasts bioswales, permeable concrete and pavement, 10-foot
tall LED pedestrian column lights,
and dozens of street trees, though

FIGURE 2. Option 4: On-Street Parking and Multi-Use Path on Both Sides
(used with permission from Metro Public Works)

it does not share the bike paths
or center turning lane that will be
included in the 51st Avenue plan. As
shown in the picture below, Deaderick is truly a corridor of green
in Nashville’s urban sprawl. While
Deaderick’s implementation closely
mirrors what’s been envisioned for
51st Avenue, other streets like the
31st connector and 11th Avenue
North also represent complete
streets; it’s important to note that
each of the street projects is different depending on the needs of the
communities they serve, and that
each one embodies the directive in
the Order to “Give full consideration
to the accommodation of the transportation needs of all users, regardless of age or ability, including those
traveling by private vehicle, mass
transit, foot, and bicycle.”
Roberts’ vision, as described by
the planning team, is in line with
this conceptual vision, which has
not been approved or allocated
funding. This is “the ultimate complete street cross-section concept
that we discussed,” according to
Amy Burch, Professional Engineer

VEHICLE CLASSIFICATION

Weekday ADT (%)

Weekend ADT (%)

Passenger Cars and other two-axle vehicles

9,532 (93.7%)

5,822 (94.7%)

Heavy Vehicles and Busses

620 (6.1%)

316 (5.1%)

Bikes

24 (0.2%)

11 (0.2%)

Total

10,176

6,149

FIGURE 4: Average Daily Traffic Table for 51st Ave North
(used with permission from Metro Public Works)

and project manager in the Nashville
Traffic Management Program. Project planners have created multiple
phases of the project to account
for budget concerns and also for a
“learning curve” among the residents of West Nashville as things
shift on 51st Avenue.
So what is there to learn? For
starters, a reduction in speed along
the 51st corridor. Radinger anticipates
that it will take some time for citizens
to adjust to the new infrastructure.
“People realize, ‘hey I can’t do this
anymore,’ as far as speed[ing] down
this roadway, etc.,” he explains.
Burch echoes Radinger’s assessment of the speeding situation. “The
design the of the street will encourage drivers to drive slower,” Burch
affirms. “There are fewer lanes, and
there will not be all that passing,”
referring to the center turning lane
and single through lanes running in
each direction.
Much of the impact of the Option
4 plan will not be known until a
comprehensive survey is completed,
including utilities, power lines and
local businesses. Though Option 4’s
lanes of traffic will remain inside the
existing curb structure, there would
be a certain amount of construction
that would take place outside the
curb boundaries, including replacing
existing sidewalks with permeable
concrete to reduce standing water
and ice.
For those who are nervous about
the “road diet” of reducing lanes
from four to three, Metro Planning

Department has answers for that,
as well. Burch, who has more than
12 years in traffic planning, says
that the analysis completed for the
project showed that street capacity
exceeds the volume of vehicular
traffic and are “lower than you
would expect on a road that size.”
The table included below shows the
daily traffic logged on 51st Avenue by
Metro traffic engineers. When asked
about how this proposed “diet” of
four lanes to three compares to
guidelines, Burch commented that,
“A general rule of thumb in traffic engineering is that a road diet
where four vehicular travel lanes
are converted to three lanes works
well for daily traffic volumes up to
16,000 vehicles per day.” At right
around 10,000 vehicles per day at its
busiest, 51st comes in a comfortable
6,000 vehicles under the recommendation, making the three-lane plan
feasible for the present and also
provides for growth and population
expansion in the area.

Safety for Cyclists
Undoubtedly, the biking community stands to gain the most benefit
from the Option 4 concept. “It adds
another layer of multi-modal connectivity,” explains Radinger, who
has also served on Metro’s Walk/
Bike committee. Especially “for the
cycling aspect. It’s a huge advantage
. . . it’s more inviting,” he concludes,
referring to cyclist and pedestrian
access to restaurants, stores and
continued on page 37
February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

13

by Scott

MERRICK

photos by Brian SISKIND / THOSE DRONES

T

ree canopy. One exists
wherever there is water,
soil, sunlight . . . if human
beings’ encroachment has not
eradicated or severely compromised it. The acronym “UTC”
stands for “Urban Tree Canopy,”
and if you were flying over our
fair Music City in a blimp, a hotair balloon or a glider, the UTC is
wherever the tops of trees mask
the ground below.
According to the online Watershed Forestry Research Guide
(http://forestsforwatersheds.org/
urban-tree-canopy), UTCs help manage storm water by taking in rainfall
that would otherwise hit the storm
drainage system; filters pollutants;
reduces the urban heat island effect;
helps reduce heating and cooling
costs; lowers air temperatures;

14

372WN.com | February–March 2017

increases property values; shelters
wildlife; and serves to improve
community aesthetics. That’s a lot
of favors.
A 2010 study for the Metropolitan
Nashville government concluded
that Nashville’s Tree Canopy was
(then) in pretty good shape—
around 47 percent—and suggested
that the tree canopy assessment
effort should be repeated at regular
intervals. Since it’s been six years as
of this writing, is that recommendation in the cards?
“I’ve been in talks lately about
plans to do so, and the short answer
is no,” says “Nashville Lorax” and
activist Jim Gregory. “Those studies
are expensive: Louisville, Kentucky’s
recent study cost those taxpayers
$100,000. On the positive side, I’ve
been looking at a lot of Louisville
data to help me understand what
is happening in Nashville.” Though
efforts to discuss the topic with

Nashville Urban Forestry and Codes
Administration have been (as of this
writing) unsuccessful, here’s what
Gregory extrapolates:
• Over the past 10 years, Louisville has lost an average of
54,000 trees a year.
• Census data tells us Louisville
has grown approximately 2.8
percent over that period.
• Nashville has grown approximately 7.8 percent over that
same time period
• In 2010, Louisville’s tree canopy percentage was assessed at 37 percent
and Nashville’s at 47 percent.
“I think it’s fair to say that
Nashville has lost more trees than
Louisville during the past 10 years,”
Gregory continues. “That’s disturbing. Major clear-cutting has been
under way, especially in Antioch.
To make things worse, think about

global warming. As our temperatures continue to rise, we will be
needing more shade on our ground
and over our streets. There is a
perfect storm under way for the
tree canopy.”
Cabot Cameron, owner and
arborist at Druid Tree Surgery,
shared how New York City has
increased its urban tree canopy
by 12 percent over the past few
years: Driven by a mandate from its
mayor after detailed aerial assessments, neighborhoods raised money and planted more than a million
trees in the Big Apple. According to
Cameron, they first concentrated
on areas where there were “tree
deserts” (very low percentage
UTC). Their efforts paid off.
Cameron also mentioned the
impending eradication of all ash
trees in the United States due to
the emerald ash borer, an insidious
pest that destroys trees from their
crowns to their roots. Cameron
noted that about 10 percent of the
Nashville tree canopy is composed
of ash trees. “There is a three-year
treatment of insecticide injections
that can save these trees if applied,
but so far, no one in a position to
implement it seems inclined to do
so,” he says. He agrees that global
warming is important: “We will
need trees more in the future
than we have needed them in the
past, and we are on track to have
far fewer.”
A bit of information that homeowners, builders and contractors
should know is that the Tree Removal Ordinance is in place to keep

“protected trees” from being felled.
Here is a quote from the very useful
“Codes Violations Quick List” online brochure:

It is unlawful to remove a
“protected tree” without first
obtaining a Tree Removal
Permit. Protected trees are
trees six (6”) inches or more in
diameter on any property other
than a property platted for a 1 or
2 family residential development.
Removal of protected trees
may create the necessity for
the planting of “replacement
trees” based on an acceptable
tree plan provided at the time
of issuance of a Tree Removal
Permit. The tree removal penalty
will be determined by the
Environmental Court Judge.

One challenge has been in determining the point in the construction process that reminds
builders they're legally bound to replace trees that have been removed.

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

15

So, what steps can residents take
to ensure this law is observed?
West Nashvillian tree activist Karen
Brown shared the following with
me, created by Jim Gregory and
Will Worrell:

If you see a new house being
constructed in your neighborhood,
post this letter on the door to
remind the builder of the tree
planting code: bit.ly/treeloveletter
If you see a newly built house
with grass installed but no trees,
report this directly to Metro Codes.
These reports ARE being resolved
and tracked. This is really easy!
bit.ly/nashcode
Advocate for tree protections
within our city by talking to your
representatives and neighbors. In
effect, we have NO mature tree
protections in Nashville; our peer
cities do.
Plant trees in your own yard or
neighborhood!
Brown emphasizes how easy (and
anonymous) this reporting process
is. “Many folks complaining about
these issues,” she says, “And often,
that’s all they do. I want people to
know that they can easily act. I’ve
seen it work, on my own street.”
As of this writing, Gregory and The
Nashville Tree Task Force are developing a one-page guide to make reporting even easier. The guide gives
a "1-2-3" reminder of when to assess,
what to look for, where to report.
“There is no official ‘trigger’ to
enforce the rules,” says developer
Mark Hayes, owner of West Nashville Living. “Including one in the
Use and Occupancy sign-off letter
would be helpful; but again, staffing and funding are issues there.
It’s complicated.” According to
Hayes, the professional developer’s
community is aware of the need to
maintain the canopy, but says that

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he doesn’t see much in place to regulate its depletion. “With large projects, since the 2010 assessment and
report, there are landscaping rules
in place and I believe they are being
followed.” He mentioned Nashville
West’s landscaping as an example.
“At least it’s not just a huge expanse
of concrete, which we have seen in
some earlier construction.” Hayes
called attention to the good work
of the Nashville Tree Foundation,
which hosted a detail-packed workshop this past fall and will certainly
do so again in the future.
“Our community tree-planting
day, ReLeafing Day, centered around
planting trees in neighborhoods
and at schools,” explains Nashville
Tree Foundation Director Carolyn
Sorenson. “We select areas of Nash-

ville where low tree canopy and
need intersect.” ReLeafing Day was
Nov. 19 last year and enjoyed great
success. “We had approximately
190 volunteers help us plant 200
trees—in difficult soil due to the dry
conditions from the drought—along
with other initiatives," Sorenson
continues. "In summary, the impact
we had at ReLeafing Day was the
addition of 500 trees in Davidson
County in one day.” Launched in
1998, ReLeafing Day grows each
year, which is encouraging.
To preserve existing trees, Sorenson mentions the Historic and Specimen Tree Program, which allows
any resident to register a tree to
protect it in perpetuity. The process
is simple and can be accessed with
a quick Internet search. “We are

Your neighborhood
spot for Southern

home cooking and
constant camaraderie

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It is important that West Nashville citizens understand the
complex issues around our tree
canopy so that we leave behind a
Nashville in which our children and
their children can enjoy life and
thrive on into the future. Be aware,
be inquisitive and talk it up with
neighbors and family.
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4410 Murphy Road
615.269.9406
www.mccabepub.com

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Proudly serving Nashville
since 1982

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working with the
city on a new Urban
Tree Canopy Master
Plan,” she explains.
Hayes and Cameron both suggested
that residents of new
homes can also help,
while enhancing the
enjoyment and value
of their property.
“Builders of smaller
projects tend to
do the landscaping
last,” says Hayes,
“and they work on
the front yard and
leave the back a sort
of a blank check for
the owners. Buyers purchasing a
new home should
consider spending a
few hundred dollars
on some backyard trees.” Do the
research, spend a
few dollars, and help
replenish the tree
canopy where it really matters: in
your own back yard.
Planting them is a major first
step, of course; but the ultimate
goal is that they grow and mature. So whether you gather your
neighbors for a tree-planting effort
or plant a few in your own yard, the
trees will need water, and lots of
it, even in these last few weeks of
winter. “Just because it’s not summer any more doesn’t mean you
don’t have to make sure your trees
get the equivalent of about an inch
of rain a week,” explains Evelyn
Allen, owner of The Secret Garden
landscaping company. “So water
if needed, and especially if there’s
about to be a cold snap and we’ve
been without rain, water the heck
out of everything. Don’t overwater,
though! Keep an eye on your plants,
and if leaves are yellowing from the
inside out or bottom to top, that
usually indicates overwatering.”

VI

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’S MAG

AZ

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NEWS FLASH:
Visit bit.ly/NTCPlan to
see current work on the
Nashville Urban Tree
Canopy Plan that Carolyn
Sorenson mentioned above!
Scott Merrick is a West Nashville native
who currently resides in The Nations and
teaches public elementary school students
about technology. Connect at http://about.
me/scottmerrick.

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

17

ELLEN PARKER BIBB
design | painting | letterpress

ellenparkerbibb.com

18

372WN.com | Februaryâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;March 2017

Romance
The West Side Guide to

F

ebruary is the month we celebrate love and romance,
whether we’re gearing up for Valentine’s Day, planning
summer weddings or keeping our own hearts warm in these
chilly temps. The good news is, West Nashvillians don’t have
to travel far to find tokens of affection, romantic dining or
places to host a celebration with those we love.
Sisters Clare Fernandez and Sonia Fernandez LeBlanc
ventured through several West Nashville neighborhoods
searching out all of the above. Use this starter guide to help
you find the right way to celebrate your Valentine,
your pal, your sweetheart, your “just talking to”
or the one with whom you’ve yet to have
DTR chat . . . but it can be used for any
and all occasions throughout the year.
Obviously, we couldn’t list them all, but
be assured West Nashville has you
covered for romance and beyond!

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

19

Treasure Hunt:
A Gift-giving Guide
for the West Side
by

Sonia Fernández LeBLANC

unless otherwise noted, all images by LeBlanc SLATE PHOTOGRAPHY

Simple, extravagant, cherished, eclectic and even
handmade—they’re all for the discovery, across every
neighborhood. If you can't decide what should go in
the box, it's time to think outside the box—here are
some places that'll get you started.

BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE
Who says traditional means blah? We’ve rounded up some of the best gift spots west of The Cumberland
that offer traditional gifts that are still beautiful, unique finds. These are the go-to spots that fit the bill for
a variety of budgets.

Known for its fine framing and
unique, eclectic gifts, The Beveled
Edge has been a staple in the West
Nashville area for more than 30
years. Whether you’re searching for
something seasonal, one-of-a-kind or
a little “Nashville”-inspired, this is
the spot. Great selection of gift ideas
for women, men and children, along
with an extensive variety of greeting
cards, books and puzzles.

This lovely shop at the corner of
Charlotte and Davidson Drive has
been serving the area for only two
years and has already become a
staple for many West Nashvillians
looking for décor and festive gifts
that add just the right touch of
spontaneity. Stop in and see what
lovelies you will find, at a wide
range of prices!

Two for Home

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372WN.com | February–March 2017

Elle Gray Boutique
4429 Murphy Road,
facebook.com/ellegrayboutique
Elle Gray is a brand-new boutique
with clothing and accessories for
women in the center of Sylvan
Park’s shopping and eatery district.
A lot of gorgeousness at prices averaging $40 to $150.

Fabu
4606 Charlotte Pike
shopfabu.com
Fabu is the rare but relished type of
shop in which one can tuck away for
an entire afternoon wandering from
room to room, 10 in all, discovering
the most wondrous delights. Lots
of great finds here for wives and
girlfriends, but there’s a cozy red
room dedicated exclusively to men’s
gifts and luxury. Fabu has gift ideas
for budgets of all sizes.
Fabu

Thistle Farms
5122 Charlotte Avenue
thistlefarms.org
Thistle Farms and the Thistle Stop
Café are in a beautiful building
on Charlotte Pike with a stunning

Two for Home

mural along the side. Pop into either
spot and pick up some of the most
gloriously scented natural bath and
body products that soothe the soul,
the body and the earth, produced
by women who have overcome
enormous obstacles. Your purchase
helps them continue this work. Visit
their website to learn more about
the beautiful mission and model behind this most important workplace
that has been a part of our community for more than 20 years.

Oak Nashville

Photo courtesy of Oak Nashville

4200 Charlotte Avenue
oaknashville.com

the most delicious scents, a pantry
area with local mixers and tonics
to make the perfect cocktail, festive
curiosities tucked away everywhere,
along with soaps and scrubs for the
body and beard. Oh, and the wall art
and home accents can match any
budget’s price point.

Oak Nashville is a glory for all the
senses. Browse their collection of
locally sourced, handmade and
found objects in a bright, rustic, yet
modern setting. They have their
own line of hand-poured candles in

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

21

magpies: the girls shoppe
Westgate Center 6027 Highway 100
facebook.com/magpiesthegirlsshoppe
A boutique full of delights for girls
of every age. Bath bombs, journals,
bags, festive lip balms, hair accessories and jewelry bring a bit of
fabulousness to every gift. And the
best news is that they keep glittery

loveliness in stock the whole year
through! Visit their Facebook page
to learn more.

G&G Interiors Nashville
Westgate Center 6033 Highway 100
gg-interiors.com
Specializing in interior and household luxury, G&G Interiors opened
a second location on the West side
of Nashville (their original store is
in Knoxville). Filled with a variety
of gifts, accessories and jewelry
delights, indulge at G&G for a decadent gift for the home.

Gossage Jewelers
5302 Charlotte Avenue

image by magpies

image by G&G Interiors

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372WN.com | Februaryâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;March 2017

Looking for a remount, repair or
extra-special piece? Gossage is a
full-service jewelry store with a

image by magpies

breathtaking selection of vintage and
antique pieces, along with services
that can be tough to find: restringing
pearls, remounts, repairs, appraisals
and more! Family-owned, and a West
Nashville staple since 1949.

SPECIALTY
Sometimes, your recipient needs something that fits them, even if it doesn’t fit the flowers and candy
vibe of the season. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a gift that fits them instead of the rest of the world’s
idea of what Valentine’s Day should be.

Gran Fondo
5133 Harding Pike
granfondocycles.com
For 15 years, Gran Fondo has been
serving the West Nashville community and beyond as a full-service bike
shop. They keep a large variety of
bikes in stock at every price point and
fit. Everyone on staff is an active rider
who can provide personal experience
as they recommend the best bike,
helmet, shoes and accessories for any
need or desire.

The Wood Thrush
Westgate Center 6029 Highway 100
thewoodthrushshop.com
Want to get your Valentine a charming
gift of nature that gives all year long?
Look no further! The Wood Thrush
is a one-stop shop for everything
aviary. Choose from birdbaths, a wide
selection of bird feeders, and colorful
hand-crafted birdhouses ranging from
$15 to $150. They also sell many types
of seed and an array of books on birds.
Something for birds of every feather!

S.G. Emporium Fine Hand Works

Cindi Earl Jewelry

320 44th Avenue North
615.385.2855

5101 Harding Pike
cindi-earl.myshopify.com

Owner Cary Freeman’s shop is full
of handmade stained glass treasures;
he also does repair work and teaches. Having worked as a demonstrating craftsman with Opryland USA
for over 15 years, Cary can also
work with you on a custom piece.
Be sure to call ahead for an appointment, as he doesn't keep regular
hours at his studio.

Why would we put jewelry
into this category? Because
it’s Cindi Earl Fine Jewelry.
A staple on the West Side for
20 years, their self-proclaimed
focus is on “fashion-forward
fine jewelry with a twist.” And
that is spot-on, because they
have a gorgeous piece of jewelry
in every style and at every price
point from $50 to $5,000.

The Wood Thrush

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

23

FLORISTS
Flowers remain the most popular
Valentine’s Day gift of all, and
West Nashville has many options.
Whether you prefer to be handson or want to put it into the hands
of a professional, here are two
options to fit your comfort level.

The White Orchid Florist
992 Davidson Drive, No. 104
thewhiteorchidflorist.com
Jerry and Michael have been creating floral beauty in West Nashville
for six years. Stop into their boutique for fresh arrangements and
lovely gifts (from jewelry to plants
to home accents, it’s all in there!).

Geny’s
4407 Charlotte Avenue
genysflowersandbridal.com
Customize your blooms! When you
want to select your own gorgeous
flowers, Geny’s lets you head back
to their warehouse to peruse their
inventory and hand-select each
and every part of
your bouquet.

Cool Stuff Weird Things

The White Orchid

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372WN.com | February–March 2017

The White Orchid

ECLECTIC, RARE FINDS
AND COLLECTIBLES
Where the odd, eccentric, and
one-of-a-kinds are hiding. There's
at least one with their name on
it, so hurry before someone else
makes a claim to it!

The Great Escape
5400 Charlotte Avenue
thegreatescapeonline.com
Since 1977, The Great Escape has
been a treasure trove of collectibles,
music, games, videos and memorabilia from many eras of popular
culture at every price point. Browse
their huge selection of music, movies and TV shows in every format.
It’s a toy, comic and memorabilia
collector’s dream—with a constantly changing selection of items to
keep you coming back for more.

Cool Stuff Weird Things
4900 Charlotte Pike
coolstuffweirdthings.com
Owner Skip McPherson has been
collecting interesting and unique
finds from vintage furniture, clothing and records to cool and weird
architectural and industrial fixtures.
But those signs! Anyone who drives
by knows what I’m talking about.
Skip crafts each one, and he even
takes custom orders. So check out
both their Charlotte Pike location
and their new café/showroom on
Centennial Boulevard inside Three
Corners Coffee!

Victory Tattoo

image by The Great Escape

4808 Charlotte Avenue
victorynashville.com
Victory Tattoo, in the heart of West
Nashville, speaks for itself. Browse
the artists’ portfolios online to get
an idea of the awesome ink coming
out of this parlor. Appointments
and walk-ins are both available daily
from noon to 10:00 p.m. Victory’s
artists can do all styles; the minimum price is $60, and they’re
always happy to answer any questions. Give yourself or your love
artistry for a Valentine’s gift that will
literally last for a lifetime.

Goodwill
5412 Charlotte Avenue
giveit2goodwill.org
You never know what treasures you
will come across at the Goodwill,
and the prices are tough to beat.
Clothes, odds-and-ends for the
home, art, baskets, games, electronics and so much more—you could
stumble upon a most magical find
for your Valentine, or any gift-giving
opportunity throughout the year!

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

25

FOOD AND DRINK
A loaf of bread, a jug of wine,
and thou. –Omar Khayyam

Serving the West Side for more than
40 years, West Meade Wine and
Liquor Mart has a broad selection
of craft beer, wine and liquor. Their
WM Reserve Room houses rare,

Tinwings

WE

5402 Harding Pike
westmeadewines.com

ST

West Meade Wine and
Liquor Mart

So there you have it—a few ideas to
jump-start your Valentine’s Day or
other special gift-giving occasion. If
Cupid’s arrow has taken aim at your
heart this year, West Nashville is
packed with possibilities!
WE

Harvest has cultivated a lovely, boutique-style ambience where one can
find the best wine for any season or
occasion. They keep a selection of
favorite and local brands, along with
local goodies—they specialize in
food pairings, so seek their advice if
you are looking to create the perfect
romantic evening in.

Combine Music City and gourmet
delights and you have the most delicious of both worlds right here on
the West Side! Nashville Chocolate
& Nut Co. is filled with the finest artisan chocolates and sweets. Tracy
Page, owner and singer/songwriter,
also specializes in creating yummy
treats with the best names in the
biz, such as Guitar Cookies with
Chocolate Whiskey Chips™, Nuts
About Nashville® and Music City
Munchie Mix®.

2W

Westgate Plaza 6043 Highway 100
harvestwinemkt.com

4231 Harding Pike
nashvillechocolatecompany.com

37

Harvest Wine Market

H

E

Nashville Chocolate & Nut Co.

ner. Call them in advance if you’re
looking for something special, or
pop by and pick up some of their
ready-made meals (they’re up early
every morning making them fresh!).
They’ve even got you covered in
the gift and pre-dinner snacking
department, to make you look like
you’ve planned this for a long, long
time—Lee Ann definitely earned the
“wings” part of her business’s name.

37

specialty and highly rated wines,
including large-format bottles,
priced from $60 to over $2,000,
as well as a collection of Baccarat
crystal decanters.

E

With 29 taps, the Mr. Whiskers
growler station is a sight to behold.
It makes shopping for the craft beer
aficionado in your life an easy task,
with high-gravity, domestic and
craft options. Their wine and liquor
selections are just as extensive, and
they span every price point. Do not
miss the Southern Jerky Co. stand, a
Nashville-based food company that
makes delicious, hand-crafted beef
jerky and other snacks, located in
the store. If you’re the type who enjoys making gift baskets, this could
be a one-stop shop!

VI

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’S MAG

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Born in Nashville and raised on the West
Side, Sonia Fernandez LeBlanc can
most often be found at home in the Hillwood
Estates neighborhood unschooling her daughters, posting about their adventures on all the
social medias (Follow her on instagram at @
soel_fetole), dabbling in writing and photography (soelfetole.wordpress.com and on FB @
leblancslatephotography), and having friends
and family over for festivities every chance she
and her hubby gets. In her spare time, She is
founding a democratic school for self directed
learning called Nashville Sudbury School (on
twitter @nashsudbury).

YUMMY–YUMMY–YUMMY

Love for Your Tummy
by Clare

FERNANDEZ

West Nashville has so many restaurants with romantic ambience. This short list features
neighborhood staples and new additions, each one with menus that will please a variety of
palates and budgets. All restaurants listed here accept all major credit cards.
Coco’s Italian Market
411 51st Avenue North
Providing an affordable, authentic
Italian experience, Coco’s recently
updated their menu, adding steaks,
manicotti and raviolis to an already-extensive menu that features
paninis, pizzas, and pastas like the
popular Tortellini Elliston, with
cheese tortellini and fresh spinach
in a blush cream sauce. To accompany your meal, Coco’s serves a
selection of beers and fine Italian
wines (with recommendations to
complement various dishes) and a
delicious array of dessert options,
including the popular tiramisu and a
dozen or so flavors of gelato, made
in-house.
For those wanting to cook, the
market up front has everything
you need, from dry pasta and fresh
meats and cheeses to olive oils,
sauces and bread-dipping sets -- everything you need for a festive night
in the kitchen. Don’t forget to grab
some truffles to go! With flavors
such as champagne, Irish coffee,
hazelnut and sea salt caramel,
you’re sure to find a decadent treat
to satisfy your taste buds.
Everyone (regardless of relationship status) is welcome to join
them on February 14th for “I Love

You to Death,”
a Valentine's
Day Murder
Mystery Dinner.
The price is $60
per person
and includes
a buffet, soft
drinks, tea and
one alcoholic beverage
ticket, along
with a cash
bar. Tickets
are available
for purchase at
Coco's Italian Market
the restaurant
and online. And be sure to check out
Coco’s event space on page 31!
More information and/or reservations:
italianmarket.biz
615.336.7982

Park Café
4403 Murphy Road
A staple in the Sylvan Park neighborhood, Park Café prides itself on
innovative cuisine using high-quality, seasonal ingredients from local
farms and artisan sources. The
small plates are perfect for sharing, featuring items such as baked
jumbo lump crab dip, chicken and

image by Coco's Italian Market

spinach dumplings, and ginger
goat cheese stuffed peppadews.
The large plates menu is small but
thoughtful, a favorite being the
pan-roasted salmon served with
coconut rice, Szechuan green beans,
and a sweet chili plum sauce.
There is a full bar, and the wine
list offers more than 50 wines, many
by the glass, and is built to complement the food menu. The decadent
dessert menu is varied, and you
can’t go wrong with the ever-popular creme brulee.
More information and/or reservations:
parkcafenashville.com
615.383.4409

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

27

Miel
343 53rd Avenue North

Chateau West

image courtesy of Chateau West

Chateau West
3408 West End Avenue
Chateau West, a charming yet
unassuming building, is nestled
among the hustle and bustle of West
End Avenue. The menu is southern
France meets American South, with
Old World favorites presented with
a modern flair.
A perennial favorite is the fondue: honey, brie and truffle oil or
goat cheese and fig, served with
fresh baguettes that are made daily
in-house. Classic French entrees
include duck chambord and boeuf
bourguignon and, for the more
adventurous, the loup de mer is a
grilled whole Mediterranean sea
bass, deboned tableside by a skilled
server. For dessert, the crepe suzette (for two) or trio of Pear Belle
Helene, Chocolate Moulleux and
Vanilla Crème Brulee are great for
sharing. A full bar offers beer, wine
and cocktail selections.
For Valentine’s Day, Chateau West
will be offering a prix fixe menu.

Fifty-First Kitchen & Bar
5104 Illinois Avenue
Fifty-First Kitchen & Bar has a welcoming and cozy atmosphere, and
the menu features Italian-inspired
American dishes using local, seasonal, farm-to-table ingredients.
The fall menu is thoughtful,
featuring house-made charcuterie
selections and seasonal small
plates, such as the porcini pappardelle—which is shiitake and oyster
mushrooms, bread crumbs, cured
egg yolk and Parmigiano—or the
heirloom tomatoes with chevre
(goat cheese), cucumber, basil
vinaigrette and a focaccia crouton.
House-made aperitifs and boutique
wines complement the menu, and
the desserts are seasonal creations.
More information and/or reservations:
51nashville.com
615.712.6111

Since 2008, Miel has
sourced the highest-quality local and
seasonal produce and
meats to create dishes
that are rooted in
classic French cuisine. Favorite dishes
include tender Spanish
octopus served with
squashes and eggplant
and finished with San
Marzano tomato sauce
and herb aioli, and the
braised pork shoulder with a Parisienne
gnocchi, house-pulled
mozzarella, arugula
and pork jus.
For dessert, the dark chocolate-bourbon ganache profiteroles
are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
Order-ahead options for their cakes,
tarts, macarons and chocolate truffles (including flavors such as fig and
red wine) require three days notice.
They offer a full bar and extensive
wine list to complement the menu.
For Valentine’s Day, Miel will be offering a three-course prix fixe menu.
Be sure to check out The Barn, Miel's
event space, on page 32!
More information and/or reservations:
mielrestaurant.com
615.298.3663

Tin Angel
3201 West End Avenue
Tin Angel, located in a historic landmark building on West End, offers
seasonal American dishes influenced by French, Italian and Latin
cuisines. They use locally sourced,
sustainable and organic ingredients
whenever possible and offer a wine
selection that complements the
menu, as well as a full bar with modern and classic cocktails.

Favorite dishes include the warm
goat cheese salad with apples,
almonds, poached figs and champagne-orange dressing, and the
pan-roasted salmon with pumpkin,
peanut & pecorino risotto & pea
shoot salad. For Valentine’s Day,
they will feature a limited menu with
specialty dishes and desserts, as
well as a few popular items from the
regular menu.
More information and/or reservations:
sitespace.us/TinAngel
615.298.3444

Tin Angel

image by Red Hare Photography

Tin Angel

image by Red Hare Photography

Salt & Vine
4001 Charlotte Avenue
This new addition to Sylvan Park
features shareable plates, a full bar
and an extensive wine list. There is
also a gourmet market offering grab-and-go meats, spreads, breakfast
and coffee, as well as a bottle shop
next door with a wine club option.
Great for sharing, try the crispy
chicken thighs
served over a savory wild mushroom farrow

Miel

Salt & Vine

with truffle arugula and Parmesan,
paired with a Spanish rioja tempranillo red wine. The chocolate
pots de creme with salted pretzel
toffee bark, paired with a 10-year
aged tawny port, make for a tasty
Valentine’s dessert.
More information and/or reservations:
saltandvinenashville.com
615.800.8517

image by Gina Binkley

image by Salt & Vine

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

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Avo
3 City Avenue
Located in the Sylvan Heights
neighborhood, Avo offers a
New-American inspired menu that
is entirely plant-based, working
with local farms and sustainable
businesses to provide unique, carefully crafted dishes and drinks.
The most popular dish is the
glazed cauliflower steak served over
a black rice risotto with a preserved
lemon & herb salad and romesco
sauce. Avo offers a full bar, and, for
a unique drink choice try the Avo
Margarita, their signature cocktail
blended with avocado, reposado tequila, cilantro, lime and house-made
orange dust.
Avo will be serving a prix fixe Valentine’s Day menu for two, featuring
three courses and a dessert.
More information and/or reservations:
eatavo.com
615.329.2377

Avo image by Miriam Drennan

White Castle

Caffé Nonna

5605 Charlotte Avenue

4427 Murphy Road

For more than 25 years, White
Castle has offered table service
on Valentine’s Day, complete with
tablecloths and decorations. This
wildly popular tradition includes a
selection of shared Valentine’s Day
meals—hurry, reservations go fast!

Tucked away in Sylvan Park, Caffé
Nonna has been a neighborhood
staple for 17 years, offering traditional and hearty Italian dishes
with fresh ingredients.
Try the popular Seafood Angelina, which features fresh mussels,
shrimp, scallops and baby clams
sauteed with tomatoes, garlic,
saffron, chiles and pancetta, served
atop fettuccine with a cream sauce.
The Lasagna Nonna doesn’t disappoint, with its layers of pasta, butternut squash, spinach, ricotta and
sauteed Swiss chard, finished with
two sauces. For dessert, go with
the gelato or cheesecake, which
rotate flavors regularly, or the classic tiramisu. They offer a few beer
selections, but the real complement
is the wine list.
This cozy spot fills up quickly, so
make reservations now.
More information and/or reservations:
www.caffenonna.com
615.463.0133

30

372WN.com | February–March 2017

More information and/or reservations:
855.759.3370

Eight Spaces
by Sonia

Fernández LeBLANC

in West Nashville You Need to Know About

We know, we know . . . there are a lot of places to host an event in West Nashville. If you’re
planning a wedding reception, engagement party or any other type of event, here are eight
spaces you don’t want to miss—some are new, some are classic, all cater to a variety of tastes,
sizes and budgets.
Coco’s Event Center
5101 Alabama Avenue
Coco’s Event Center is part of the
Coco’s Italian Market family and is
on the same corner as the beloved
restaurant. The 2,400-square-foot
space is a blank canvas for any social
or corporate event, with its beautiful
hardwood floors and high ceilings
glowing with string lights. It seats 120
comfortably and can accommodate
up to 160 — it’s the perfect venue
for a wedding rehearsal dinner! But
the space can hold parties of every
occasion, business or team building
meetings, a performance, classes or
an art show, to name a few possibilities. Use Coco’s in-house catering, or
outside caterers are welcome. Their
full sound and projector systems can
be used for all events.
Contact: Rachel Gladstone
Rachel@CocoEventsNashville.com
615.891.1476

Coco's Event Center

image by Coco’s

The Reserve and The Hop
Yard @ Fat Bottom Brewery
800 44th Avenue North
Perhaps the newest space to hit
West Nashville, The Reserve and
The Hop Yard are just five miles
from downtown in the space that’s
also home to Fat Bottom Brewing
Inc. The Reserve is a beautiful,
3,000-square-foot space with
gorgeous wood floors, a built-in
bar, four custom-made chandeliers
and four rollup doors that open
up a spacious patio — allowing for
an open-air, covered dining space
that’s heated during cooler months.
With a capacity of 135 seated and
250 standing, The Reserve offers
full-service catering, private restrooms and a green room (bridal
suite) with private restrooms. While
the catering menu is evolving,
options range from casual (sliders,
tea sandwiches, mac & cheese) to a
more standard menu, offering plated
chicken, fish and steak with sides. A
small sound system and stage
are available. The Reserve is not
vendor-exclusive, though some fees
may apply (buyout fee for outside
catering, for example). The Hop

Yard, Fat Bottom’s onsite restaurant, offers a private dining room
that seats up to 50 people, with
minimums low as $750. Right now,
The Reserve is offering a 15% rental
discount for their first bookings!
Contact: Sarah Easterwood
Sarah@fatbottombrewing.com

Renderings of Fat Bottom Brewery

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

31

Green Door Gourmet
7011 River Road Pike
www.greendoorgourmet.com
Green Door Gourmet feels enchanted and lovely every time you set
foot on the farm. It is along River
Road, about a mile off Charlotte, and
is a USDA Certified organic farm,
market and event space all wrapped
into one. It has a magic that must
come from the land that hugs the
Cumberland. There are a number of
options for large and small weddings
and parties, corporate events and
festivals. And the pictures! It’s such
a beautiful place to capture pictures
of every part of your big day! The
Grand Barn is the highlight of the
event spaces offered at Green Door.
A 6,000-square-foot open design “re- The Grand Barn at Green Door Gourmet
verse hay barn” can seat 150 people
in the main hall and has overflow
OZ Arts Nashville
options in the upper balcony and
6172 Cockrill Bend Circle
screened-in porch. Two full bars are
OZ is one of the elite event spaces
in the barn, built from the wood from
tucked away in the Cockrill Bend
the original barn that was exactly
industrial area of West Nashville—
where the Grand Barn stands today.
in the former headquarters of CAO
If an outdoor wedding is what you
Cigars. They have created a perare looking for, then Green Door has
formance and event space like no
some beautiful options. The Cedar
other in Nashville, with five unique
Arbor, which has access to electrical
spaces that can accommodate as
power, is their main wedding site.
few as 14 people. The entire venue
But there are other areas that can be
holds up to 1,200. The Ultra Lounge
used for weddings and other events,
Patio and Zen Gardens are a perfect
such as garden parties, family rebackdrop for a contemporary
unions or festivals.
indoor/outdoor event, while the
CONTACT: Alison Bryant
Grand Salon can be a transformed
events@greendoorgourmet.com
into a performance space, the most
615.870.7592

image courtesy of Oz Arts

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image courtesy of Oz Arts

gorgeous wedding space, a music
industry event/showcase, or a
grand-scale corporate event. There
is a conference room with Apple
TV for smaller meetings, and as a
throwback to its cigar days, they
have one of the world’s largest
walk-in humidors. Every need can
be met, and in the highest, most
impeccable fashion. Visit their website for details on rental fees, dates,
vendors, catering, parking and a
host of other services.
CONTACT:
myevents@ozartsnashville.org

Miel
343 53rd Avenue North
Looking for an intimate and warm
setting to eat exquisite food and
keep wonderful company in the
heart of the Charlotte Avenue
corridor? The incomparable
Miel has a private, standalone
space called “The Barn” that can
seat 30 and hold up to 45 for a
standing event, with an adjacent
patio. Chef Andrew Coins will
design an ideal menu for your
special occasion. This is the perfect
space for social or business-related
dinner parties or just an occasion
to bring friends and family together
in a gorgeous space!
CONTACT: Seema Prasad
seema@mielrestaurant

Miel Event Space

image by Gina Binkley

House: A Social Eatery
712 51st Avenue North
Located in the space which was previously The Stone
Fox, House: A Social Eatery has transformed into as
cozy and delightful a neighborhood eatery as could
have been imagined. They host events, birthdays,
reunions and dinner parties for any occasion. You
can reserve their family room, which is a light-filled
space complete with deer head over the candle-filled
fireplace! The Library is the most wonderful transformation, as book and knick-knack filled shelves and big
booths fill what once was a stage. And the patio has
plenty of space for gathering and festivities when the
weather is warm. Catering is in-house, and their bar
is extensive. Great neighborhood event spot for your
intimate gatherings!

for photography shoots and films. This is also a beautiful
and creative space for children’s birthday parties ages
3-15. Cheekwood will make any festive occasion that
much more special and beautiful.
CONTACT: Taylor Gardino, Special Events Manager, and
Lauren Ratcliff, Special Events Coordinator
specialevents@cheekwood.org
615.354.6377 | cheekwood.org

CONTACT: Darren Hardwell
dwell32@gmail.com

Belle Meade Plantation
5025 Harding Pike

House: A Social Eatery.

image by LeBlanc Slate Photography

“Belle Meade” means beautiful meadow, and Belle Meade Plantation’s beauty shines throughout all seasons.
As one of the most highly acclaimed event venues west
of the Cumberland, Belle Meade Plantation is also a historic landmark, having been a working plantation and
thoroughbred horse breeding farm. From an intimate
event in the Boxwood Gardens to a huge party in the
climate-controlled Carriage House and Stables, there is
a package to suit just about anyone planning a wedding
or other social (or corporate) event. Their extensive
website offers everything you need to get started.
CONTACT: Linda Pilkinton, Director of Events
615.356.0501, ext.125 | bellemeadeevents.com
The Belle Meade Plantation Carriage House image by Bagwell Macy PR

Cheekwood
1200 Forrest Park Drive
Cheekwood is a majestic estate on the edge of West
Nashville, which was transformed into an art museum
and botanical gardens in the 1960s. Since then it has
been an important part of the cultural landscape of the
city. And what a glorious place to have a party! There
are 10 venue options across the 55-acre expanse, each
gorgeous in its own right. Accommodating capacities up
to 400, Cheekwood offers space for receptions, ceremonies, cocktail parties, dinners, luncheons and meetings.
In addition to offering wedding and social events and
corporate events and meetings, there are opportunities

Cheekwood

image by Clark Brewer Photography

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

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by

Clare FERNANDEZ

Love Together, Love Forever
We asked three West Nashville couples who have been married 35+ years to share insight into
what has kept them together long-term and the reasons they love living on the West Side.

Laszlo and Mary Ann Heday
Charlotte Park

lived in the house where they now
reside since 1985. Their house
backs up directly to the Cumberland River, with a peaceful view and
allure that make it apparent why
they’ve never left.

When asked if the Hedays are from
here originally, Laszlo cheerily
responded, “It feels like it!” with a
grin and a deep laugh.
Originally from Hungary, he escaped during
the revolution of 1956
(a nationwide uprising
against the government
and its Soviet-controlled
policies) after someone
turned him in for possessing a gun for protection. After being in an
Austrian refugee camp
for several months, he
was brought to the U.S.
among about 30 people
relocated to Nashville
by Catholic Charities
in 1957. Mary Ann hails
from Fairview, and the
two met at Clearwater
Laszlo and Mary Ann Heday
Beach on the Harpeth
For many years, there weren’t a
River in Linton, Tenn., which was
lot of restaurants on the west side
a popular hangout spot on the
of town, and Mary Ann can’t beweekends. With a swimming and
lieve the growth in just the past 10
picnic area, a clubhouse and a jukeyears. They enjoy the accessibility
box, Clearwater Beach was a great
to Nashville West and Costco, along
setting for Mary Ann and Laszlo to
with the view of the river from
develop their friendship.
their back patio. Tequila’s Mexican
Their love grew out of that
Restaurant, Hillwood Pub and Blue
friendship, and they married in
Moon Waterfront Grill are among
1962. They bought their first house
their favorite West Nashville spots.
in West Nashville in 1965 and have

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Married 54 years, Mary Ann and
Laszlo both come from big families with a lot of kids, so they’re
not selfish and they know how
to give within their relationship.
Every year they take at least one
week-long trip, just the
two of them, and at this
point, they have visited
more places than they
can count. Never ones
to fight or argue, they
don’t get mad over silly
stuff, and they stress the
importance of not saying
things you’ll regret.
Their advice for young
couples is simple yet effective: Don’t get married
expecting your partner
will change. There’s not
one person in charge;
they are equal partners.
They don’t know what
the “secret” is, but Mary
Ann admits that a big
sense of humor and
being able to roll with the punches
is a must. As she says, “You gotta
really love each other, I think, that’s
the main thing. Because you’re
gonna get mad, you’re gonna get
ticked off,” and being able to calmly
work things out and not say bad
things about each other is key.
Maybe they have found the secret,
after all.

Nancy and Collins Smith
West Meade
Nancy, a Nashville native, and
Collins, who moved here at age
nine, met during their freshman
year of college. They went on their
first date three days after they met
and then parted ways, with Nancy
returning to college and Collins
serving in the Vietnam War. They
wrote each other every day while he
was gone and dated for four years
before they married in 1969.
After residing in Green Hills for 35
years, the desire for a single-story
house with a big yard and plenty of
space brought them to West Meade
10 years ago. They are happy with
the change and growth in West
Nashville and equally so with the
preservation of the character of
West Meade. Nancy and Collins are
part of the West Meade Conservancy, which works to preserve the
woodlands and wildlife in the area.
The ridge on which their house sits
has been protected by The Land
Trust for Tennessee, due largely in
part to the old-growth forest with
200-year-old trees. It was important
to this community for the beauty of
the land to be protected.
What makes West Meade so
special to Nancy and Collins is
the peaceful and quiet nature of
the neighborhood. As Collins said,
“Downtown Nashville is very accessible, but we’re sort of hidden from
it -- and that’s very attractive.” Nashville West has become a staple for
the Smiths and the West Side as a
whole. The couple enjoys exploring
area locales, such as Dalt’s Grill, El
Sombrero Mexican Restaurant,
Double Dogs
and Flip Burger.
Married
48 years in
January, Nancy
and Collins

Newlyweds Nancy and Collins, married at St. Henry on Harding Pike.
used with permission by Nancy and Collins Smith

have a strong relationship based on
compatibility, friendship and love.
They have worked and struggled
over the years as a team, crediting
“luck and love” as to what has kept
them together. They married, had
children and matured together,
working in equal partnership for
everything they accomplished.

Collaboration in their relationship
remains a source of pride.
They also stress that time apart
keeps the relationship healthy. Nancy has lunch almost every day with
her girlfriends, and Collins does all
the grocery shopping. She does the
cooking, and he does the baking.
They travel together to Florida
twice a year. They still write romantic notes to each other and hide
them under a pillow, in a suitcase
before a trip, etc., and both have
saved all the notes they’ve written.
Nancy also kept all the letters he
sent her from Vietnam. Their advice
for young couples? “Marry your
best friend,” which is exactly what
they did.

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

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Speaking with these couples, it
was clear to see the joy in their
relationships. While each has a
very different personal story with
its own ups and downs, there is a
common thread to their long-term
marriage success: lots of love.
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Bob and Lida Stewart, today.

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New to Nashville, Bob and Lida
moved here in April 2016. Thanks
to the booming growth (and the
traffic that comes
with it), they
quickly learned
that they wanted
to be close to
the city but in a
quiet neighborhood with a yard.
Those specifications brought
them to the West
Side, and they settled in the Robertson neighborhood
this past August.
This move came
about through a
series of changes.
The two met in a
neighborhood bar
in Birmingham,
hit it off immediately, married in
1980 and moved
around quite a bit,
with their most
recent stint in St.
Augustine, Florida. After the pass- photo used with permission by Bob and Lida Stewart
ing of their son in
2014 and Lida’s older sister in 2015,
When asked what has kept them
they decided to join their daughter
together 36 years and counting, the
in Nashville, where they could also
answer is persistence, commitment
be closer to family in Alabama.
and, in Lida’s words, “recognizing
Bob and Lida had both visited
that they are a team trying to help
Nashville and found a perfect
each other get through life.” The
lifestyle fit in West Nashville. They
loss of their son was a challenge
enjoy their neighborhood, particthat brought them closer together.
ularly the friendly nature, such as
It helps, too, that they share similar
neighbors who introduced theminterests, a similar worldview
selves and brought baked goods
and are each other’s best friends.
when they first moved in. People
To date, their most memorable
walk their dogs, and children play
moment as a couple was their 25th
outside; it’s quiet but close to the
wedding anniversary. They went
city, a common theme that attracts
to dinner, not just the two of them,
residents to West Nashville. In their
but as a family with their two chilshort time here, they’ve made it
dren. It was important for Bob and

Lida that their kids see their appreciation for each other and their
commitment to their marriage.
Their advice for young couples is
to not give up when it gets hard. Patience and communication are key,
as Bob and Lida can attest. They
both agree that, now more than
ever, young people shouldn’t
let society impose standards
on them; it’s okay If you haven’t
found your life partner yet, or if
you don’t want to get married,
or have kids. Don’t settle. Be
okay with being single if that’s
where you are.
Sensible advice from a
strong couple.

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to some neighborhood and city
staples, like The Loveless Cafe,
Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, Coco’s
Italian Market and La Juquilita,
a family-owned restaurant on
Morrow Road.

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Bob and Lida Stewart
Robertson

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A native Nashvillian and current Hillwood Estates resident, Clare Fernandez works
as a Data Analyst at a software company and
serves as the board president at Poverty &
the Arts, a local nonprofit providing creative
opportunities for individuals experiencing
homelessness. In her free time, Clare enjoys
reading, traveling, hiking at Radnor Lake, all
things theatre, and exploring the growing
foodie and culture scene in Nashville.

51st Avenue, continued from page 13

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615.430.3726

SERVING WEST NASHVILLE SINCE 1991

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1211 51st Avenue, North

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community events in the area, and safer access for those
who use public transportation.
Nora Kern, executive director of Walk-Bike Nashville,
echoes this enthusiasm. “I’m really excited to see progress being made to get under the interstate,” explaining
that this is the biking and walking community’s “major
barrier to commuting in the city.” Kern and the biking
community have been active at Metro Council planning
meetings and communicating with local businesses
about the project as well. The biking group hopes the
project will produce a kind of synergistic relationship
between cyclists and businesses “because [biking] slows
people down and gets people out of their cars and in
front of businesses,” Kern says.
For pedestrians, individual bike lanes mean safer walking spaces on sidewalks. The sidewalk plan for Option
4 means spacious, six-foot permeable concrete walks
on both sides of the street, leading to less buildup of
water and ice in winter, and more room for dog-walkers,
strollers and friends to walk together or stroll the shops.
The Nations’ generally level layout allows for an amateur
biker or half-marathon hopeful to enjoy the new infrastructure just as much as the die-hards.
The vision, in its entirety, is certainly worthy of Roberts’ term “paradigm shift,” as it will undoubtedly change
the way residents interact with their community, neighbors and local businesses. The design of the space has
involved compromises, as all great achievements have,
balancing the needs and desires of so many different
entities in the synergy of the community space. As the
project moves forward, residents should look to community and neighborhood meetings for updates, as well as
Metro Public Works’ website, which periodically posts
updates on the projects. Barring any hiccups or financial
roadblocks, the complete street project is set to begin
structural work in spring 2017, ringing in the nicer weather with some very exciting infrastructure.
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Stephanie Sefcik recently moved to the Robertson Ave

neighborhood with her dog, Zephyr. She is an avid gardener, and
when she isn't working on home projects, loves working with her team
at Vanderbilt University.

Wags and Whiskers’ owners AMANDA BEATYLITTRELL and her husband, KIRK, opened the
store in Sylvan Heights, across the street from
Climb Nashville at 3731 Charlotte Avenue,
in July 2015. It’s their third store in Nashville,
each one taking on the character of its unique
neighborhood. The other stores are in 12South
and East Nashville. Year-round hours are 10:00
a.m. to 8:00 p.m. weekdays, Saturdays 10:00
a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sundays from noon to
5:00 p.m.

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

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A Nashville
FAN FAVORITE
Nashville pet lovers seek out products and services that treat their furry friends as family members. Wags and Whiskers is regularly named on
“Best of Nashville” lists by local community fans.
In fact, readers of The Nashville Scene have
voted them the Best Pet Boutique for eight years
in a row in their Best of Nashville Awards! Their
outstanding customer service and commitment
to high-quality products make them fan favorites.
Posh and Nashville Lifestyles magazines recognize them in their “Best of Music City’’ features.
They were in the top three best pet stores in The
Tennessean’s “Toast of Music City’’ awards.
They also come up regularly on curated lists and
blogs, such as Expertise.com, where they were
lauded as one of the best places to groom your
dog according to their high standards.

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ot a well-loved pooch? A feline best buddy? Wags and
Whiskers is a pet lovers’ shop with only the best in stock
for furry friends. The store welcomes customers with its
open, easy-to-shop design, with carefully chosen holistic
foods and treats for dogs and cats. Its peaceful vibe and no-pressure tactics make it easy to browse on your own or with the help of
one of the knowledgeable and caring staff members.
The 15 or so food lines they offer include kibble, freeze dried and
frozen raw diets, all made with high-quality ingredients -- no corn,
fillers or by-products, by family-owned companies. The prices are
competitive with big-box stores because you feed less when there
aren’t fillers! There are free samples so you can easily try new foods
out, and there’s a frequent buyer program for pet foods -- after 12
purchases, the 13th is free.
The staff members welcome questions and are happy to help
if your best friend is dealing with a health issue, such as food or
environmental allergies, excessive shedding or arthritis. “There are
a lot of issues that can be helped by the right food and/or supplements,’’ Kirk explains. “We carry a variety of foods and products
that can accomplish just this. For instance, a simple change of food
and addition of goat’s milk to the diet remedied one of our favorite
four-legged customer’s environmental allergies and eliminated his
daily Zyrtec pill.’’
You will also find high-quality collars, leashes, grooming supplies
and bowls, a great variety of cat and dog toys and tempting treats,
and even an economical bulk cat litter fill-up station.

Wags and Whiskers is known for smiling faces, carefully curated product selections, and wash stations for all sizes and shapes.

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Rub-a-Dub-Dub
Then, there is a whole other side to Wags and Whiskers – their convenient self-serve dog wash stations!
Being a dogmom of two Shetland Sheepdogs with thick
double coats, I am a member of the Frequent Bather
Program (wash eight times and get a free dog wash).
You don’t need an appointment, and the prices are $12$18 per dog, based on the size of the dog. The roomy
waist-high tubs have temperature-controlled water,
deep-cleaning hand sprayers with adjustable water
pressure, a variety of natural shampoos, basic grooming
tools and a blow-drying station for long-haired dogs. Oh,
and of course, a waterproof apron! The best part is that
they clean up the mess after you’re done.

My furry Valentine

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On average, U.S. pet owners are expected to spend
anywhere between $5 and $25 on Valentine’s Day for
their furry friends.* Whether you fall into that category
yourself, or
know someone
who does, Wags
and Whiskers is
ready.
“We definitely see people
spoiling their
pets on Valentine’s Day,”
Amanda says.
“It is a celebration of love, and
we sure do love
our cats and
dogs! Treats
Trudy gives Dixie Happel a sweetheart kiss.
and toys are the
most popular choices. But make sure not to share your
chocolate with your dog, it can be very dangerous for
them.’’ You can pick out a special toy or holistic treat,
chew or adorable fresh-baked goodie for your pal from
Wags and Whiskers’ extensive selection. And enjoy halfprice, self-serve dog washes February 6-10, along with
complimentary Valentine’s treats!
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Tina J. Bembry resides in ‘’Three Cat Cottage,’’ a charming 1958

home in Sylvan Heights, surrounded by five furry and two feathered
friends—dogs Skye and Willow; cats Rogan, Sparrow and Sylvie; and
parakeets Brennan and Olive. Besides pets, her passions are animal
rescue, gardening, reading, thrifting, and collecting vintage hats.
*Source: National Retail Federation annual Valentine’s Day survey released
in January 2015, and Time magazine’s article, ‘’Americans Could Spend $703
Million on Their Pets This Valentine’s Day’’ from January 27, 2015.

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

41

Writing Music on the West Side
Claudia Nygaard
photos by Clark THOMAS/simplePhotographs.com

West Nashville has always
had a rich component of
creative people, not the
least of which are its many
songwriters working in myriad
genres. We thought we’d kick
off this semi-regular feature
with two who have paid
their dues, remained true to
themselves and built styles
that are respectively distinct
and powerful.
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Claudia Nygaard considers herself a member of the Class of ’84.
That’s the year she finally moved to
Nashville after years of writing and
performing in her native California.
“I started out playing in bars
around Northern California and
graduated to playing a lot of fairs,”says the country/folk-oriented writer, “and everywhere I went, people
said you really ought to take your
stuff to Nashville. You aren’t going
to get any country cuts here. So I
sold everything I couldn’t fit into a
U-Haul and drove out here.”
She eventually made her way to
Sylvan Park. “I liked the little cottages here,” she says. “I’ve been a
West Side girl ever since.” Nygaard
currently lives in Charlotte Park in
a house on the Cumberland.
Her reference to the
“Class of 84” refers to
the crop of other newly
arrived songwriters who
came to town that year.
“When you first get
to town, you go to a lot of
writers’ nights and you hang
out everywhere,” Nygaard says.
“Eventually, you figure out that
it’s not furthering your career to
compete with other people on your
level—that beginning level. You’re
basically comparing yourself to

by Deana

DECK

other amateurs. Your competition
is the people who are getting the
cuts. And they’re not hanging
around at the open mikes. They’re
at home writing.”
Nygaard spent the next couple
of years doing, as she puts it, “the
obligatory starvation and day-job
thing” until she landed a job on
Music Row writing songs for Lee
Greenwood’s publishing company.
In retrospect it was not a good fit,
but it paid the rent for a while.

“A songwriting deal is
like a marriage.”

—CLAUDIA NYGAARD

“A songwriting deal is like a
marriage,” she says. “It’s all in who
you’re signed to. The chemistry,
the support you get, the faith they
have in you as a writer. After the
publishing company fired the man
who had signed me, I didn’t feel like
I had the same support there or
that I had anyone in my corner that
believed in me. And when you don’t
have anyone who believes in you,
you don’t get your songs demo’d
and you don’t get them pitched, so
why stay?”
She had every intention of going
out and getting another songwriting gig, but decided to go back to
performing for a while first.
“I enjoyed performing again so
much I just never went back to get
a writing deal on the Row,” she
says. “But I am about to start pitching songs again because I think a
lot of what I’ve written over the last

several years is commercial enough
to get cut.”
Nygaard has just been named
as a finalist in the South Florida
Songwriting Competition, where
two of her songs, “Big Country” and
“Dead” are getting a lot of attention.
“That’s where folk artists are different,” she points out. “Music Row
writers don’t enter many songwriting competitions. I’ll perform at the
Festival because even if I don’t win,
there will be a lot of connections
to people there who host house
concerts. When I won the Kerrville
Folk Festival, it translated into a lot
of gigs because of the exposure to
people who have house concerts
and represent other festivals. “
When Nygaard performs in Nashville, you can usually find her at
Douglas Corner. “One thing I would
like is to have more live performances here on the west side of

town,” she says. “We have a lot of
new restaurants now, but we don’t
have a lot of places to play and we
really need that to get people from
other neighborhoods to come.
Besides, with all the building here,
I think we have the population to
support that now.”

You can sample some of
Nygaard’s music on her web site:
www.claudianygaard.com

Know someone who
should be featured in
“A Tale of Two Writers”?
Tell us at
372WestNashville@gmail.com

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

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You could say that Sylvan Park’s
Brooke Waggoner is part of that
“Class of ‘84”, too, but with a
slight difference. The year Claudia
Nygaard was arriving in Nashville,
the red-haired Brooke was being
born in Houston.
She didn’t waste much time catching up to the songwriting scene,
though. By the time she was nine
years old Waggoner was writing
songs that her mother saved, with
the result that she has a portfolio
of every lyric she’s written since
fourth grade. She recently mined
that stash for concepts and ideas
to incorporate in her latest self-produced album, SWEVEN which was
released on her own label, Swoon
Moon Music.
This is a talent that didn’t just fall
from the sky. It was nurtured and
refined through classical training
culminating in a degree in music
composition and orchestration
she received in 2006. Her very first
album, launched 2007, went on to
debut in the #1 slot on the iTunes
Singer/Songwriter charts. She’s
released four albums so far which
she not only wrote, but orchestrat-

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Not surprisingly, she is also on
record as favoring more music
venues in West Nashville “More
clubs and listening rooms would
be really great,” she says. “East
Nashville is full of this bustling art
scene. I would love to see more
of that on the west side. I do miss
Stone Fox—places like that help
make our neck-o’-the-woods more
culturally diverse.”
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Brooke Waggoner

ed and arranged. Although she was
nominated for the Independent
Music Award for Best Folk/Singer
Songwriter and performs regularly
on NPR’s Mountain Stage, her sound
is far from folky.
“I typically describe my music as
more orchestral pop with influences
pulling from folk, rock, and classical
elements,” Waggoner says. “Style
always evolves if you’re searching
for more with each project.” I see
mine moving into a more avant garde
approach—less formatted and pushing my personal boundaries of what
writing in a free manner looks like.”
Not content to rest on her laurels, the industrious Waggoner is
keeping very busy. “Right now I’m
writing a ton. I do a lot of co-writing
with other artists, bands and publishers for their projects,” she says.
Hopefully it keeps me sharp and
always moving. I’m also releasing
remixes from the SWEVEN album
every month for the next season.
This was a collaboration that
took part with multiple
remixers and DJs
across the globe. “

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You can check these out on her web
site: www.brookewaggoner.com

Are you a songwriter or
musician with a distinct style?
Let us know—hit us up at
372WestNashville@gmail.com!

WEST NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS IMAGES TO COME

“Style always evolves if
you’re searching for more
with each project.”
—BROOKE WAGGONER

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

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by Yvonne

Ferry landing, today. photo by Yvonne Eaves

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EAVES

The Family, the Ferry
and Its Mysteries

1975. photo courtesy of Nashville Public Library, Special Collections

Februaryâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;March 2017 | 372WN.com

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t one time, as many as 200 ferries operated in Tennessee. Nashville’s first opened in 1784, but by 1985, only
eight remained statewide. Ferries were privately owned
and operated until 1910, when Davidson County became responsible for maintaining the ferries, operating under the restrictions of the Coast Guard and the Davidson County Highway
Garage. Clees Ferry was the last ferry operating in Nashville,
and it was taken out of operation on Dec. 31, 1990.

The Ferry
As early as 1846, a raft was used
to transport livestock and humans
across the Cumberland River at
Clees Ferry Landing. The raft was
not motorized, and a cable was
placed across the river during operation. Raft crew members would
pull the cable as the raft floated
across the Cumberland River, a full
one-eighth of a mile.
In 1915, ferry drivers made $100
a month; by 1943, the take-home
pay was $115. Pilots were required
to have an operator’s license for a
100-ton riverboat. After the Tennessee Valley Authority built dams
along the Cumberland River, beginning in the early 1930s, the river
was almost 30 feet deeper; the WPA
projects also made the river wider.
By 1926, Clees Ferry was nicknamed The Dorris, after the 60-footlong gas-burning ferry that made
150 trips each day connecting West
Nashville to North West Davidson
County. The trips were 10 minutes
each way, and the Dorris burned 25
gallons of gasoline a day, according
to the June 1, 1946, issue of The
Tennessean. The next day’s paper
contained an article that outlined
plans to build a bridge to replace
the ferry, but Clees Ferry operated
until 1990.

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What's in a name? photo by Yvonne Eaves

Its last vessel was the Judge
Hickman. Built in 1952 by Nashville
Bridge Company, it could transport
up to eight cars per trip across
the river. The Judge Hickman was
the last diesel-powered paddle
boat built by Nashville Bridge, and
Metro Davidson County sold it to
Sisterville, West Virginia, in 1991 for
$20,051—less than half its asking
price of $45,000.

Clees, Cleece’s, Cleeces?
Now, the proper spelling of
“Clees” has been disputed for some

time, so we want to set it straight,
in spite of what the street sign says.
For starters, the Clees Brothers
were John N., Joseph, Theodore,
Johanne, J. Baptiste, J. Peter and
J. Frank. All seven brothers, along
with their widowed mother, hailed
from Bavaria, Germany. They
had been farmers, and when the
German government wanted the
brothers to serve in the military,
the family fled. The Clees brothers arrived in America by way of
Pennsylvania and Ohio, and in the
late 1860s, they purchased 623
acres of property in Whites Bend
for $15,040.
The brothers were very hard
workers; they owned a saw mill on
their Bells Bend property, along
with a lumberyard in downtown
Nashville, close to the Cumberland
River. The family business operated
under the name “Clees Brothers”
(with John N. having power of attorney) and used a steamboat to move
stones from their rock quarry.
J. Baptiste and Joseph were the
only two Clees brothers known to
have married, with Joseph marrying Ann Marg Bernard. When the
Clees family arrived in Nashville,
Joseph’s in-laws (the Bernards)
were sponsors. After a year, four of
the brothers moved to Pennington

Bend and operated another
disappeared, and she
ferry with a vessel named
was last seen at Union
Mary Clees.
Station purchasing a
Joseph and his wife had
ticket to Chicago. The
six children, and only three
detectives discovered
daughters lived to adulthood:
that Mrs. Mangrum
Mary, Catherine and
had been having an
Susan. Susan married Jack
affair with a Nashville
Rudy, they had a son, Dan,
doctor. When her
who later became the masterbody was discovered,
mind of Rudy’s Farm. J. Bapthere was no water
tiste married Helena Gang,
in her lungs, meaning
and they had three children:
she was dead before
Ferry pilot Kirk Harris in 1972. photo by Clark Thomas / simplePhotographs.com
John, Lizzie and Maggie.
her body was placed
All that to say, the family spelled
in the water. Her money and the
Here are just a few:
their name, and the name of their
jewelry she was wearing at the
• In January 1906, the crew from
ferry operation, Clees. Whether we
train station were not on her body,
Clees Ferry spotted a woman’s
need to change the street sign is
and they were never found. The
body
floating
down
the
Cumberland
another debate for another time.
authorities in Illinois embalmed her
River; three days later, the same
body before an autopsy could be
Clees Ferry Mysteries and Legends
woman’s body was discovered 250
done, but it’s widely believed that
miles away in the Cumberland RivMurder, mystery and legends—
she was poisoned—perhaps with
er near Cairo, Ill. An investigation
some accounted for and others
chloroform, cyanide or prussic
revealed that Mrs. Rose Mangrum
passed down through generations—
acid. The object of Mrs. Mangrum’s
had withdrawn her money from her
have kept Clees Ferry “in operation”
affection, Dr. J. Herman Feist, was
checking and savings the day she
for decades after its official closing.
convicted of her murder. His sen
June 29,1991. photo courtesy of Nashville Public Library, Special Collections

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

49

tence was appealed and overturned
by the Tennessee State Supreme
Court. After being locked up for
16 months, Dr. Feist was granted a
retrial, in which he was found not
guilty. Dr. Feist moved to Alabama
and never practiced medicine again.
• Locals have whispered among
themselves for nearly a century that
if someone wanted to dispose of a
vehicle—for insurance claims or
disposal of evidence—they would
drive the vehicle off the Clees Ferry
boat ramp.

• Bells Bend is thought to have a
few cemeteries close to the Cumberland River. During the 1930s,
families in West Nashville would
use the ferry to transport deceased
loved ones across the Cumberland
to cemeteries. In one incident, a
coffin destined for burial in Bells
Bend slipped off the ferry and started floating down the Cumberland
River. Funeral attendees had to
jump in to retrieve the casket.
• According to one 1938 death
certificate, the final resting place

was listed as Clees Ferry Cemetery,
though there’s strong evidence that
the Barnes Family Cemetery may
be the same one.
• Beacon Square was under development in the mid-1960s when
builders uncovered multiple prehistoric Indian burial grounds. It was
determined that several prehistoric
tribes once lived in the area where
West Nashville is now, including the
Paleo Indians (around 1500 B.C.),
Archaic and Woodlands (8000 and
1000 B.C.) The most recent prehis-

December 30, 1990. photos courtesy of Nashville Public Library, Special Collections

June 9, 1987. photo courtesy of Nashville Public Library, Special Collections

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Taken on one of the final trips across the
Cumberland River in 1990, a Bells Bend
resident hangs acting Public Works Director
Peter Heidenreich in effigy.
photo courtesy of Nashville Public Library, Special Collections

toric Indians are thought to be the
Mississippians, who lived along the
Cumberland River in about 1000
A.D. The evidence found during
the development of Beacon Square
appears to be a possible Mississippian village, located close to Clees
Ferry Landing. The developers also
found Civil War-era musket balls.
The Indian mounds at Clees Ferry
were used by the Confederate
troops as fortifications against the
Federal gunboats.

March 30, 1953.

photo courtesy of Nashville Public Library, Special Collections

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Today, we cross the Cumberland River from West Nashville
using the Andrew Gibson Bridge
on Briley Parkway. Andrew Gibson
was a manager of the West Nashville Third National Bank (now
SunTrust) on Charlotte Pike. An
old-school businessman, Gibson
would seal a deal with a handshake,
and he was a driving force behind
the bridge—mentioned in the 1946
newspaper article—that bears his
name. Clees Ferry is now a fond
memory to most longtime West
Nashville residents.
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Long considered West Nashville’s historian,
Yvonne Eaves spends a lot of time documenting its changes through the lens of her
camera. She is the former president of the
Cohn High School Alumni Association and
author of Nashville’s Sylvan Park (along with
co-author Doug Eckert, Arcadia Publishing). Sources used for this story include:
Vertical Files at the Nashville Room in the
Main Library, Nashville Tennessee; West
Nashville—its people and environs, by Sarah
Foster Kelley; The Ganier Site: A Prehistoric
Indian Village in West Nashville, by John B.
Broster (Mini-Histories).

December 30, 1990. photo courtesy of Nashville Public Library, Special Collections

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

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372WN.com | Februaryâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;March 2017

Reserva Cigars:

Neighborhood Bar,
Chicago-style
by Scott

MERRICK

photos by Clark THOMAS/simplePhotographs.com

Februaryâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;March 2017 | 372WN.com

53

I

popped into Reserva Cigars on a recent weekday
afternoon after work, and it was my pleasure to chat
for a half hour with Reserva owner Tony Block. While
I did, I sipped on a Good People IPA, one of the eight
beers currently on tap.
Tony told me that he closed on the place, formerly
Spitfire Vape and Cigar, in mid-July 2016. “I bought the
place lock, stock and barrel, got rid of the stuff that I
didn’t want to deal with, and changed the name in early
September. I wanted to turn it into what it is now, which

is a cigar lounge with pipes and pipe tobacco and beer,
and we’re working on getting our liquor license.”
I mentioned that the previous week I had stopped in
to introduce myself and he had been prepping fresh
pork chops on the bar top. “I’m from Chicago originally,
and we used to have these neighborhood bars. Neighborhood bars that were just a place to hang out, have
a smoke, have a drink, watch the game, just chill and
meet friends. So I have a grill and I roll it outside every
once in a while, and I cook. I ordered eight pounds of
fish from Alaska and for two nights we cooked out fish.
I ordered some Bratwurst from Sheboygan and we ate
Brats. A customer got some moose meat from a friend,
and we cooked out moose meat. We don’t charge for
that, it’s just something I do occasionally.” Translation?
Food for friends.
I asked how many employees he had, to which he responded: “Me, myself, and I. Just me. After the first year,
I probably will hire somebody part-time, so that I can
take some time off. Right now I’m working 84–85 hours a
week.” Tony looks remarkably happy despite that workload. He is doing what he loves, and he loves doing it in

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Nashville, Tennessee, particularly in West Nashville. He’s
open from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., seven days a week.
“Why West Nashville?” I asked.
“Well, a business broker called me. I did some research, and I felt that this was a very good area, with
Belle Meade there (he pointed over his shoulder to the
right), and then Sylvan Park and The Nations, and I’m in
the middle,” he smiled. “So I ended up buying the place
and moving down here.”
“I used to bring my kids down here for the Country
Music Festival. I also had a friend, who’s now deceased,
who lived out in the Cross Plains area of Tennessee, up
a little further north of here. So as a tourist I knew the
place, and I loved it. Business has been very good, and
I’ve developed some regulars who are just the best people, seriously, great people. People have been very cool.”

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and I have a new poker table coming in next week. We’ll
have poker tournaments for cigars and prizes and things
like that. And then we have the lockers that people
can rent. We’ll do a lot of things like that. I’ll be adding
different events next year, and we will continue to grow
this neighborhood hangout. That’s what we’re all about,
just relaxing, chilling, having good conversations, good
times. If you want something really rowdy, as you know,
10 minutes down the road is Lower Broad.”
We laughed together yet again.
I’ll be back.
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Just off eternally bustling White Bridge Road, they are
far enough off that thoroughfare to have a little seclusion
and plenty of parking. If you are pulling out of Target at
the traffic light, just go straight on Red Oak Drive and
pull into the first parking lot. There you are.
I only smoke a cigar maybe once every three weeks to
once a month, but on my earlier visit Tony had suggested I broaden my experience with a new cigar, and I loved
it. At that time I also purchased a Hemingway Short
Story and an Aging Room 55, two of my standbys. He
carries them both, along with a full walk-in humidor of
well- and little-known cigars.
Tony makes sure that he has experienced any cigar
he carries, though he has tastes in the medium to dark
range. “I want to be able to tell a customer that I’ve
smoked it, you know? If I don’t like it, I can at least say,
you know, I carry this one because people like it and buy
it, but it just doesn’t hit my palate.” It’s a truism that you
can’t argue about flavor, everyone has different tastes.
“I just try to make this place a comfortable place, you
know? I try to make it kind of like being in your living
room, only without your wife yelling at you about smoking cigars,” he laughed again. “I put in a new filtration
system, so it’s not too smoky. People are playing chess,

in The Nations and teaches public elementary school students about
technology. Connect at http://about.me/scottmerrick.

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

55

WINTER
GARDEN

the

by Deana

DECK

Ready, set, salad!

photo by Clark THOMAS/simplePhotographs.com

In Middle Tennessee, the
warming days of February
fill our gardens with crocus,
daffodils and hyacinths.
That’s the sign it’s time to
plant your salad greens.

T

here are a number of plants
known as cool-season vegetables that thrive in the barely
warm soil of late winter. Among
them are lettuces of all varieties,
spinach, kale, cabbage, collards,
onions, Swiss chard, broccoli, peas,
radishes and Brussels sprouts.
Select a garden area that will get
still get full sun after nearby trees
leaf out. Work the soil down to
about six inches and add compost
(your own or
a commercial
variety) and an all
purpose fertilizer
with a 10-10-10
formula. This is
a common mix
found at most
garden centers,
because it is a
popular formula
for lawn fertilizers. (If you’re new
to gardening, the
numbers stand
for the amount of
primary nutrients
in the mixture:
10% nitrogen,
Brussels sprouts
used by the
plant for aboveground growth and
greening; 10% phosphorus used to
develop seeds, fruit and blossoms;
and 10% potassium, essential for the
development of strong stems.)
A 10' by 10' kitchen garden will
do well with about three ponds of
fertilizer worked into the bed. Don’t
over-fertilize, and be sure to water

in the fertilizer before planting.
If you have limited space for your
garden, you may want to stick with
lettuce, spinach, onions, radishes
and peas. Lettuce and spinach will
need to be thinned out after they
begin to sprout, but the good news
is the plants you thin can go directly into your salad. Peas are a good
choice for the small early season
garden because they can be trained
to grow up along a simple trellis
or tomato cage.
They don’t even
have to be tied,
as their tendrils
will hold them in
place.
Other cool-season vegetables
that can be planted in February
are large plants
that require
more space.
Among these are
the great leafy
cabbages, kale,
broccoli, collards
and Swiss chard.
To beat the heat,
it’s recommended
to start these plants from seedlings
available at most garden centers.
Although kale is a cool-season
plant and is in great demand these
days, it actually does better when
planted in fall. In our area, hot
weather can come on fast, and kale
doesn’t do well once that happens.
It is also a plant that does best when

YOU CAN PLANT
EARLIER IF YOU HAVE A
COLD FRAME. It also helps
to keep the soil damp and keeps
cats, bunnies and other critters
out of your plants. You can hire a
carpenter, buy a small cold frame
from a local building supply store
or make one using scrap materials.

photo by Clark THOMAS/simplePhotographs.com

Start with the glass top. A quick trip to
Habitat for Humanity building supply store
on Division Street will reveal a world of
choices. Look for an all-glass discarded storm
door. If the hinge is still attached, that’s even
better. Using the door as your guide, measure
the length and width of the door. This will
determine the size of your planting bed. Say
you have a 6 1/2-foot door that is 32 inches
wide. Buy or salvage inexpensive landscape
timbers and cut them into the proper lengths.
Stack the timbers two or three deep along
the back, front and sides and fasten them
together. Now you have a box that your door
will fit on. Fasten the hinge side of the door
to the back wall of the box with screws. On
warm sunny days you will want to prop open
the door to prevent cooking the seedlings. Or
you can also build the cold frame in a sunny
location against a garage wall or fence and
use “S” hooks and a short length of chain to
attach the handle of the door to the fence
wire or to a hook screwed into the wall.
This type of cold frame will limit you to
small produce, like lettuce and spinach, but in
the summer, you can fasten the lid open, or
remove it, and use the bed to grow tomatoes
or herbs.
February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

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the days are shorter. Kale planted
from seed in late September will
grow and thrive nearly to Christmas.
(And a little frost actually improves
the taste!)
Since some of these seeds are
very small, try this simple method for planting them: Once the
soil has been fertilized and raked
smooth, take a stick of bamboo or
an old broomstick and lay it into
the soil, pressing gently to make
a depression the depth called for
on the seed packet -- usually ¼ to
½ inches. After carefully dropping
seeds into the grooves, take small
handfuls of packaged potting soil
and sprinkle it over the seeds before
gently watering them in with the
hose nozzle set on “mist” so as
not to dislodge the seeds. You can
do the same with garden soil, but
since it has just been worked and
watered, it is not as fine and is more
difficult to control when sprinkling
over the seeds. Another thing I like
about using potting soil is that it is
usually formulated to hold moisture
and will help prevent the seeds from
drying out.
So, what to plant? There are four
types of lettuce to choose from. A
combo of all four will make for a
perfect green salad, but any one of
these types can be grown and en-

Cabbage sprouts

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Ornamental kale

joyed exclusively. The most popular,
and the one always available at the
grocery store is Crisphead, commonly called Iceberg lettuce. It’s a
crisp-leafed variety that’s terrific in
sandwiches or served in wedges under a dollop of homemade dressing.
Seeds of the ‘Great Lakes’ variety
are good to start with because the
plants are slower to bolt in hot
weather. This is definitely a consideration because it takes from 82 to
90 days for them to mature. (“Bolting” means flowering and going to
seed too early. It can be caused
by the lengthening of the daylight
hours, as well as by the increasing
warmth of the soil.)

Another type of lettuce is the
Butterhead variety. Included in this
family is Bibb lettuce and its cousin
Buttercrunch. Look for seeds of Buttercrunch or Summer Bibb, as these
are the least likely to bolt too early.
Leaf, or Bunching Lettuces,
include the popular Ruby, with
reddish leaves, as well as the frilled
and crinkled leaves of Grand Rapids
and Black-Seeded Simpson. These
mature sooner than the head lettuces and are usually ready to harvest
in about six weeks.
The fourth type of lettuce is
Romaine, a favorite ingredient in
Caesar salads. It belongs to a family
known as Cos, which forms upright

Green Pea bush

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finding the ones you want should
be no problem. On the other hand,
seeds can be ordered online, or by
mail, and there’s nothing quite as
fun and inspiring as looking through
seed catalogs while the weather is
still cold and blustery.
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more space. Measure 1 ½ inches on
a stick and poke holes in the soil in
rows about 18 to 24 inches apart. To
train onto chicken wire stretched
between posts, or on to a tomato
cage, plant double rows six to 10
inches apart. Common types available where seeds are sold include
Lincoln, which is good fresh or frozen and has a long season, and Little
Marvel, which matures early. The
best heat-resistant variety is Wando,
available wherever Ferry-Morse
seeds are sold.
Radishes are a popular plant to
get your kids interested in gardening, because they spring out of the
ground so quickly after planting and
are so much fun to harvest. One of
the most popular varieties is the
Cherry Belle, which takes just 21
days to mature.
Local nurseries start stocking
their seeds right after Christmas, so

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plants nine or 10 inches in height
with tightly folded green outer
leaves and lighter inner leaves.
Regardless of the type you
choose, they are all grown exactly
the same way and require the same
amounts of water. The bed should
be kept damp but not soggy, and
once the plants begin to take shape,
never let the soil dry out. Once
the plants have appeared and are
about two inches high, the bed can
be mulched to keep the soil from
heating up too quickly.
Spinach is another easy-to-grow
salad ingredient that thrives in cool
spring weather but tends to bolt
when the days grow longer and the
temperatures begin to rise. One of
the best varieties in our area, and
one whose seeds are easy to find, is
Long-Standing Bloomsdale.
Peas, unlike the leafy greens,
require deeper planting and a bit

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For 20 years, Deana was the Garden Tips
editor for The Tennessean.

Radish sprouts

February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

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372WestNosh

by Naomi

GOLDSTONE

Regardless of your preference or palate, West Nashville’s got you covered for breakfast, lunch,
dinner and evening cocktail. Whether we’ve driven by them a hundred times or just spotted
a new one we want to try, 372WestNosh is committed to eating and drinking our way through
the West Side . . . in the name of fair reporting and full tummies, of course.

HEADQUARTERS
COFFEE SHOP

L

ocated on Charlotte Avenue,
across from the Richland
Park Library and tucked
between Thomas Meyer Salon/K-9
Design and Cool Stuff Weird Things,
Headquarters Coffee Shop opened
almost four years ago to the delight
of lots of West Nashvillians. Open
seven days a week, Headquarters
is quaint and cozy, with friendly
workers and lots of local options on
the menu.
Owner Louisa Green and her
staff know their customers well,
and they are almost intuitive with
food and drink recommendations
for those who are undecided. Their
selection of Artichoke Leek Fontina Quiche, avocado toast, bagels,
parfaits and oatmeal are either
made on-site or sourced from local
bakeries like Dozens. Their oatmeal—made with oats, flaxseed,
almonds, brown sugar and dried
blueberries—is not only healthy,
but it’s also delicious.
Headquarters’ coffee comes from
8th and Roast, some of their syrups
are local and their honey is local,
too—from Johnson’s Honey Farm.
They also sell eggs from Creek Bend
Farm, Vegan Vee gluten-free pastries,
High Garden tea, Go Bars and milk

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Oatmeal at Headquarters

from local dairy operations. “We
have vendors from all over Nashville,” one barista explains. “Basically, we bring all points of Nashville
into one coffee shop.”
Headquarters also sells greeting
cards, fun magnets (like “Southern
Sayings” or “Veggie Magnets”),
coffee cups, thermal mugs, soap,
jewelry and even a Kombucha
Brewing Kit.
Headquarters is a fun, intimate
coffee shop that treats each customer like an old friend. As their
sign says, “You are a stranger here
but once.”

ocated at 4320 Harding Pike
near The Hill Center at Belle
Meade, The Picnic Café has
been a West Nashville staple for
35 years, and one taste of owner
Kathy Bonnet’s chicken salad explains why.
“Kathy started selling sandwiches door-to-door, and gradually
bought a little café, then gradually
increased the seating,” says Debbie
Sanders, who has served as manager for 23 years. “The Picnic,” as it’s
affectionately known, now accommodates up to 100 people, along
with patio seating, an expanded
menu and take-home options. They
also handle catering and special
orders, even with a few hours’ notice. “People can call ahead in the
morning and order their lunches
for that day.”
Their chicken salad was named
one of the nation’s top 10 chicken
salads by Cooking with Paula Deen
magazine, and customers usually
pair it with one of the made-fromscratch soups, like tomato basil,
broccoli cheese (with a hint of curry!), ham and white bean, chicken
tortilla and their newest addition,
lemon artichoke. A variety of sandwiches, side items and casseroles
complete the menu, along with
kid-friendly options like PB&J, mac
and cheese, turkey, and ham.
If you save room for dessert, The
Picnic offers a great assortment
of pies (lemon lavender!), cakes,
cookies, and bars. Admittedly, it’s
not easy to save room, so you can
always take home a whole caramel
or coconut cake for later. “We also
carry smaller, six-inch options like
caramel, strawberry, or chocolate,”
Sanders explains, the latter two
provided by Ivey Cake.
The Picnic also serves breakfast/
brunch items, including a quiche of
the day, sausage and egg casserole,

have passed by Korea House (at
6410 Charlotte Pike, #108) many
times on my way to Costco, and I
was super excited to stop there for
dinner one Saturday night. I asked
my friends Ann and SooWei to join
me, since this was a bit of a food
adventure for me and I wasn’t sure
what to order.
Soowei took care of this, since
he had been to Korea House many
times before. For our appetizer, we
had the Seafood Pancake, which is
a “Korean pancake with seafood,
green onions, and egg.” I have to

Dolsot Bibimbap at Korea House
February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

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372WN.com | February–March 2017

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erhaps you’ve already been
to one of the five Broadway
Brewhouse locations in
Nashville, but have you been to
the one in West Nashville? About
a mile west of the Nashville West
Shopping Center, Brewhouse West
is located near the intersection of

2W

BREWHOUSE WEST

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RESERVATIONS: No

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CREDIT CARDS: All

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HOURS: 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.,
Monday–Saturday

River Road and
Charlotte Pike.
Open seven days a
week, Brewhouse
West has a “fun,
laid-back atmosphere” for those
who are 21 years of
age and older.
Smoking is allowed throughout
the bar, and there
are Happy Hour
specials throughout the week: Monday through Friday,
Cajun Burrito at Brewhouse West
11:00 a.m. to 3:00
a spicy creole sauce with Andouille
p.m., $1 off drafts; 3:00 p.m. to
sausage and tasso ham. Served
7:00 p.m., $1 off all bar drinks.
with sour cream and salsa on the
Monday through Thursday, 10:00
side, and it was quite tasty and very
p.m. to close, Brewhouse West
filling. Their kitchen stays open until
offers a late-night menu and $1
11:00 p.m., so it’s the place to go if
off domestic drafts.
you want to grab a late-night dinner
Mondays are also “Margarita
and drink.
Mondays,” which means they have
Karaoke happens on Tuesday and
$5 Margaritas; $4 Tequila Sunrises;
Thursday nights, trivia on Wednes$6 Nachos; and $3 Chips and Dip.
day nights, and Friday and Saturday
Saturdays offer $1 off domestic
nights are reserved for live music.
drafts from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.,
We have bands that play all kinds of
and on Sundays, it’s two-for-one
music,” Crutcher said. “From rock to
drafts from 11:00 a.m. to midnight.
country to blues to funk to alternaBrewhouse West sports a full
tive. It’s really all over the place, so
bar with a great selection of wines
it depends on who is playing. Only
and liquors, but their most popular
about 10 percent of the music we
drink is probably the “Bushwacker.”
play is country, so you’ll hear lots of
Manager Kaycie Crutcher described
different genres here.”
it as a “rum-based drink that’s
And when the weather warms up,
frozen.” She chuckled and then
Brewhouse West opens up the “best
added, “A lot of people say it tastes
patio around,” Crutcher says. “It’s
a lot like a Wendy’s Frosty that’s on
big, and there’s a separate bar and
crack.” Though the exact ingredistage for live music.”
ents are a proprietary secret, she
did say that it contains “chocolate
HOURS: 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.
and a hint of coffee.” It’s definitely
(Kitchen closes at 11:00 p.m.),
on my list to try on my return visit
Monday-Sunday
(when someone else is driving).
CREDIT CARDS: All
Brewhouse West bills itself as
RESERVATIONS: No
having the “best damned bar grub
in town,” but they also have a full
A resident of The Nations, Dr. Dwonna
menu that includes much more than
Naomi Goldstone is author of Integratjust bar food. I ordered the Cajun
ing the 40 Acres: The Fifty-Year Struggle
burrito, which is a flour tortilla loadfor Racial Equality at the University of
Texas (University of Georgia Press) and an
ed with shrimp, chicken jambalaya,
assistant professor of English at Austin Peay
and jack cheese and smothered in
State University.
E

confess that I was very skeptical
about this dish, as was Ann. We
both loved it; in fact, it was probably my favorite dish.
For our main course, SooWei
ordered several dishes that we all
shared. He ordered Bulgogi (panfried thinly sliced beef, marinated in a special sauce and sliced
onion); Dolsot Bibimbap (rice
topped with vegetables, beef bits
and a fried egg in a hot-stone pot);
and Goonandu (an appetizer of
deep-fried dumplings). The main
courses are accompanied by sides
of potatoes, kimchi radish, kimchi
cabbage, kimchi cucumber, eggs
and carrots, and fish cakes, and
you can order as many refills of the
sides as you desire for free.
Jennifer Lee, the manager, says
their most popular dishes are Dolsot Bibimbap; Bulgogi; and Kimchi
Fried Rice (fried rice with pork and
Kimchi, topped with fried egg).
When I asked Lee what makes Korea
House unique, she said, “It’s personable and the food. We have tons
of customers, and we always try
to give them a big smile. They can
come here with a bad attitude and
leave happy and full.”
For less than $20 each, SooWei,
Ann, and I definitely left happy and
full, and there was so much food
leftover that we had enough to take
home for another meal.

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by

Miriam DRENNAN

WEEDEATERS
only YOU have to know
it’s yard clippings
Believe it or not, there was a time when our government
paid people to plant kudzu. Introduced at the 1876 World’s
Fair Centennial Exhibition, kudzu received little fanfare
until the mid-1930s, when dust storms were destroying
prairies. The brand-new Soil Conservation Service planted
70 million kudzu seedlings in nurseries and offered $8 an
acre to anyone who would assist their war on soil erosion by
planting them. Popular Depression-era radio host and Atlanta Constitution columnist Channing Cope declared the
vine would resurrect Southern farms that had been “waiting
for the healing touch of the miracle vine.”
If we only knew then what we know now.
In all fairness, there’s an upside to this weed that exists
to persist. Chinese medicine uses kudzu to treat migraines
neck pain from hypertension, angina, allergies, and even
alcoholism, the latter being of particular interest to a
number of recent studies in the United States. Nonetheless, we’ve no shortage of kudzu to contend with here in
the South—there’s plenty of this weed to go around.
So let’s bite back at it by biting into it. Kudzu leaves,
vine tips, flowers, and roots are all edible (the vines are
not). The leaves can be used like spinach and eaten raw,
chopped up and baked in quiches, cooked like collards,
or deep-fried. Young kudzu shoots are tender and taste
similar to snow peas or green beans.
Summer through fall, kudzu also produces beautiful,
purple-colored, grape-smelling blossoms that make
delicious jelly, candy, and syrup. For this installment of
Weedeaters, however, we’re tackling a quiche. It’s quick,
it’s simple, it’s delish—and it’s time to eat the vine that ate
the South!
In addition to our usual caveat about weed-picking,
we’ll add two more just for kudzu:
•

CAUTION: Be careful where you pick! Avoid weeds that have
been treated.

KUDZU QUICHE

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Be a part of West Nashville’s yard-to-table movement! Send us a recipe or idea for the Weedeaters: 372WestNashville@gmail.com.
February–March 2017 | 372WN.com

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372Who kNew?
Lee Lane, owner, New Life Record Shop

Name:
What’s your relationship to West Nashville?
How long have you been here?
Favorite thing about West Nashville?
Favorite food? color? drink? dessert? hobby?
Where will you be on Friday night?
Dog or cat?
Mustard or mayonaise?
Mountains or beach?
Dream occupation when you were five?
What’s your hidden talent?
What’s your superpower?
What excites you about West Nashville?